Bellingham man sentenced for possession of child sexual abuse material
A Bellingham man was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday for two charges related to the possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Joshua Luke Reppert, 33, was arrested in May following a nearly yearlong investigation into possible possession of child sexual abuse material. Reppert was under Department of Corrections supervision when the investigation began, according to court records, as he was previously convicted of similar charges in Skagit County.
The Bellingham Police Department received Cybertips from the National Center for Missing Endangered Children in May showing that an individual, later identified as Reppert, accessed and stored child sexual abuse material on X and Google photos between October 2024 and May 2025.
In total, there were 104 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of a live child and 254 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of an animated child.
Reppert pleaded guilty to the possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in the first and second degree in Whatcom County Superior Court on Sept. 24.
At his sentencing Tuesday, his public defender said his “relapse” into accessing child sexual abuse material was due in part to not being able to access treatment during his year in prison for his previous offense. She said stresses around housing, employment and substance use also contributed.
“I hope to get through this … and get better,” Reppert told the court. “This is a lot of my life that I’m losing.”
Judge Evan Jones followed the agreed sentencing recommendation of 61 months in prison followed by three years in community custody.
“This behavior is unacceptable,” Jones said. “It’s not victimless.”
Report child sexual abuse material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline online at report.cybertip.org or call 800-843-5678.